旅行的意義 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: 陳綺貞

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on a lyrical journey with Cheer Chen's "旅行的意義" (The Meaning of Travel). This introspective folk song offers a beautiful entry point into Mandarin Chinese through its poetic lyrics and melancholic melody. You'll learn vocabulary related to travel and emotions, while appreciating the nuanced expressions of longing and self-discovery that make this song a beloved classic and a perfect way to deepen your understanding of the language and culture.

[English]

You've seen many beautiful sights, you've seen many pretty women

You've lost yourself in fleeting moments on the map

You've tasted the nights of Paris, you've stepped through snow in Beijing

You remember every truth in your books that you love most

But you can't say why you love me

You can't say which expression of mine you admire

You can't say in what moment I made your heart race

You can't explain why you want to leave

...

You've accumulated many flights, carefully choosing souvenirs

You've collected every sunny day on the map

You embrace passionate islands, bury memories in Turkey

You're fond of the unreal beautiful scenes from movies

But you can't say why you love me

You can't say which expression of mine you admire

You can't say in what moment I distracted you

You can't explain the meaning of this trip

...

You hesitate but say why you love me

You can't say which expression of mine you admire

You can't say in what moment I made you distracted

You can't explain why you want to leave

Hesitantly, you say every letter you sent for me

Is the reason why you're leaving

Your leaving me—that's the meaning of this trip

...

[Chinese]

你看過了許多美景 你看過了許多美女

你迷失在地圖上每一道短暫的光陰

你品嚐了夜的巴黎 你踏過下雪的北京

你熟記書本裡每一句你最愛的真理

卻說不出你愛我的原因

卻說不出你欣賞我哪一種表情

卻說不出在什麼場合我曾讓你動心

說不出 離開的原因

你累積了許多飛行 你用心挑選紀念品

你蒐集了地圖上每一次的風和日麗

你擁抱熱情的島嶼 你埋葬記憶的土耳其

你留戀電影裡美麗的不真實的場景

卻說不出你愛我的原因

卻說不出你欣賞我哪一種表情

卻說不出在什麼場合我曾讓你分心

說不出 旅行的意義

你勉強說出你愛我的原因

卻說不出你欣賞我哪一種表情

卻說不出在什麼場合我曾讓你分心

說不出 離開的原因

勉強說出 你為我寄出的每一封信

都是你 離開的原因

你離開我 就是旅行的意義

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
美景 (měijǐng) /meɪ dʒɪŋ/ B2	noun - beautiful scenery, landscape
美女 (měinǚ) /meɪ nʏ/ B1	noun - beautiful woman
迷失 (míshī) /mi ʂɨ/ B2	verb - to get lost, to lose one's way
光陰 (guāngyīn) /ɡwɑŋ iːn/ C1	noun - time, period of time
品嚐 (pǐncháng) /pʰɪn ʈʂʰɑŋ/ B2	verb - to taste, to sample
踏 (tà) /tʰa/ B1	verb - to step on, to tread
熟記 (shújì) /ʂu t͡ɕi/ B2	verb - to memorize, to learn by heart
真理 (zhēnlǐ) /ʈ͡ʂən li/ B2	noun - truth
欣賞 (xīnshǎng) /ɕin ʂɑŋ/ B2	verb - to appreciate, to admire
表情 (biǎoqíng) /bi̯ɑʊ̯ t͡ɕʰɪŋ/ B1	noun - expression
場合 (chǎnghé) /ʈʂʰɑŋ xɤ/ B1	noun - occasion, situation
動心 (dòngxīn) /tʊŋ ɕɪn/ B2	verb - to be touched, to have one's heart moved
累積 (lěijī) /leɪ d͡ʒi/ B2	verb - to accumulate
紀念品 (jìniànpǐn) /t͡ɕi ni̯ɛn pʰin/ A2	noun - souvenir, keepsake
蒐集 (sōují) /sɔʊ̯ t͡ɕi/ B2	verb - to collect, to gather
風和日麗 (fēng hé rìlì) /fɤŋ xɤ ʐɨ li/ C1	adjective - fine and warm weather; gentle breeze and beautiful sun
擁抱 (yǒngbào) /jʊŋ paʊ̯/ B1	verb - to embrace, to hug
熱情 (rèqíng) /ʐɤ t͡ɕʰɪŋ/ B1	adjective - passionate, enthusiastic noun - passion, enthusiasm
埋葬 (máizàng) /maɪ̯ tsɑŋ/ B2	verb - to bury
記憶 (jìyì) /t͡ɕi i/ B1	noun - memory
留戀 (liúliàn) /li̯oʊ li̯ɛn/ B2	verb - to be reluctant to leave, to feel attached to
不真實 (bù zhēnshí) /pu ʈ͡ʂən ʂɨ/ B2	adjective - unreal, false
場景 (chǎngjǐng) /ʈʂʰɑŋ t͡ɕɪŋ/ B1	noun - scene, spectacle
分心 (fēnxīn) /fən ɕin/ B1	verb - to distract, to be distracted
勉強 (miǎnqiáng) /mi̯ɛn t͡ɕʰi̯ɑŋ/ B2	adjective - reluctant adverb - barely
寄 (jì) /t͡ɕi/ A2	verb - to send, to mail
離開 (líkāi) /li kʰaɪ̯/ A2	verb - to leave, to depart
旅行 (lǚxíng) /ly ʃɪŋ/ A2	noun - travel, trip verb - to travel
意義 (yìyì) /i i/ B1	noun - meaning, significance

Key Grammar Structures

• 你看過了許多美景 你看過了許多美女

  ➔ Completion of past experience using 了 (le)

  ➔ 了 (le) is used here to indicate the completion of experiencing the beautiful scenery and women in the past.

• 卻說不出你愛我的原因

  ➔ Use of 卻 (què) to express a contrast or unexpected situation

  ➔ 卻 (què) introduces a contrast between the preceding statement and the difficulty in expressing love.

• 說不出在什麼場合我曾讓你動心

  ➔ Use of 在 (zài) to indicate location or time in a prepositional phrase

  ➔ 在 (zài) specifies the location or context where you once moved their heart, functioning as a preposition.

• 你離開我 就是旅行的意義

  ➔ 就是 (jiù shì) as an emphatic or clarifying expression meaning 'exactly' or 'precisely'

  ➔ 就是 (jiù shì) emphasizes that her leaving defines the true meaning of travel in this context.

• 你勉強說出你愛我的原因

  ➔ 勉強 (miǎn qiáng) indicating 'reluctantly' or 'with effort'

  ➔ 勉強 suggests that she is saying it with difficulty or reluctance, not naturally.

• 你離開我 就是旅行的意義

  ➔ 就是 (jiù shì) as an emphatic clarification meaning 'exactly' or 'precisely'

  ➔ 就是 (jiù shì) emphasizes that her leaving is exactly what defines the meaning of travel in this context.